Start by shutting off the gas to your home at the main valve so there’s no chance of a leak. Take a crowbar and remove the trim around the insert. When you can access the gas line, remove it as well. Then, carefully wiggle the insert out of the fireplace and remove it.

How do I remove a firebox insert?

1. Step 1: Remove the Trim. Using a hammer, mallet, or pry bar, you will want to remove the trim and any nails around the fireplace that is holding the insert in place. …
2. Step 2: Disassemble pipes and Vents. This is the step where you are disconnecting everything. …
3. Step 3: Pry the Insert. …
4. Step 4: Set it off to the Side.

Is it easy to remove a fireplace insert?

A wood-burning fireplace insert must be removed when your fireplace and chimney enclosure need cleaning. It’s easier than removing a gas insert because it’s not necessary to remove or disconnect gas lines. … If you don’t want to hire a professional to remove the fireplace insert, you can attempt to remove it yourself.

How do you remove a wood burning firebox?

1. Wood Stove Changeout: Proper Disposal and Recycling of Old Stoves.
2. Idaho Department of Environmental Quality: Wood Stove Replacements & Tax Deductions.

What is the metal box in my fireplace?

What is a fireplace insert or box? A fireplace insert is a fireproof box that is surrounded by steel or cast iron. It can also be fronted by insulated glass. Steel or cast iron help trap heat where as some have blowers that push the hot air back into a room through vents.

Can I remove a wood burning fireplace?

Taking out a wooden fireplace can be a DIY job if you’re prepared for the heavy lifting—literally—and the mess it often causes in your home. … Since the wood-burning insert is only attached with caulking and bolts, you should be able to remove these and pull out the insert on your own.

How do you remove a fire grate?

Lift the grate out of the fireplace and set it down on the painter’s plastic. Wrap the plastic around the grate to keep ash from falling. Move the grate to wherever you need it to go.

How much does it cost to replace a fireplace insert?

Most fireplace inserts and a professional installation cost about $2,000 to $4,000, depending on the state of your existing chimney and the model you select. Some electric models cost significantly less, but they offer less heat output than wood and gas fireplace inserts.

Should I remove my wood burning fireplace?

Structural integrity provides a serious reason to consider fireplace removal. A stack that is leaning or crumbling is hazardous for your family and property. Damage or cracks in the firebox may also transfer the heat from a fire, causing additional damage to your house’s structure.

What is a fireplace box made of?

Depending on what type of fireplace you have, your firebox could be brick or metal. Masonry fireplaces—which are built of bricks or other stone—typically have a brick firebox. If you have a prefab fireplace, your firebox is most likely made of metal.

Article first time published on

What is a box fireplace called?

Firebox. The firebox is the main part of the fireplace where the fire is built. It’s usually rectangular or square in shape, and is surround by fireproof materials such as firebricks.

What is the metal part around a fireplace called?

The spark arrester is a metal mesh that fits over the top of the flue and prevents the exiting gases from carrying burning materials onto the roof. A chimney cap prevents moisture and animals from entering the flue. It may rotate to block wind gusts.

Can you remove bricks from fireplace?

A: Yes, you can remove the brick facade and replace it with another material. And you will still be able to use the fireplace. The only restriction is that the material around the firebox must be noncombustible. Common choices are marble, some other type of stone or tile.

How much does it cost to remove a brick fireplace?

National Average Cost$4,500Minimum Cost$500Maximum Cost$10,000Average Range$3,000 to $6,000

Can you remove fireplace vent?

Many natural vent (b-vent) types of gas fireplace come as insert form for existing open fireplaces and can be added or removed from the masonry fireplace opening by a professional as and when required.

How do you remove a flue pipe from a wood burner?

To disconnect chimney pipes, locate the first pipe connection. You should see screws or rivets on the bottom or “female” pipe end, which holds the top or “male” pipe end in place. Using a screwdriver or ratchet wrench, loosen the screws or rivets. Locate the second pipe connection and do the same.

Is removing a fireplace a good idea?

But losing a fireplace can affect a home’s appeal and possibly even its resale value, real estate pros say. A fireplace can particularly be viewed as a valuable amenity in colder climates, and removing one could even reduce the number of buyers drawn to a property, some agents say.

Does a wood burning fireplace add value to house?

A homeowner can often recover over 100 percent of the expenses associated with adding a fireplace upon selling their home. According to the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers, adding a fireplace to home can increase the resale value of the home by as much as 6-12 percent.

Can you remove a fireplace?

It is possible to remove the fireplace by itself and leave the stack or chimney flue. The most important aspect of this kind of removal is reinforcement. A lot of supports will need to be installed in order to maintain the structural integrity of your house.

How easy is it to change a fireplace surround?

The fire surround is often the easiest place to start, as you don’t need to worry about gas pipes or brickwork. Here, some paint, new accessories or even a whole new surround can go a long way when you need an easy fireplace update.

How long should a fireplace insert last?

However, when properly maintained, a fireplace insert can last 20-30 years or more, making them a great investment in the future of your home.

What is the purpose of a fireplace insert?

A fireplace insert is a sealed box that is placed (inserted) into an existing masonry fireplace. As a result, the old inefficient wood fireplace is upgraded to a new high-efficiency wood, gas, or propane fireplace that will produce more heat and use less fuel.

Do you need a fireplace insert?

Usually a wood burning fireplace built with the home will get an “insert” put inside of it. … You need an insert not a fireplace when you already have a fireplace in the home, you don’t want to do any construction, when you want the simplest conversion.

How are chimneys attached to House?

A common and cheaper temporary fix that could have been done to hold the chimney in place is to fill the gap between the leaning chimney and main house structure with mortar or some type of caulking or expanding foam insulation. The chimney could also be fastened into place with metal straps.

What is the hole in the bottom of my fireplace?

The ash pit is built at the fireplace base so that old ashes are swept or scraped into the ash pit and a fresh fire can be built in a clean fireplace. … Depending on its size, the ash pit may hold a season’s ashes so that it does not need emptying in inclement weather.

How do I know what type of fireplace I have?

You can generally identify these units by simply looking inside the fireplace itself. They will be constructed of sheet metal, and usually 1-3 walls made of a ceramic material with a brick or stone pattern. Some units will have louvred faces for a blower to be used, but most do not.

What are the holes on the side of my fireplace?

1 Answer. They are fresh air supplies for the firebox. Houses built in recent times are have less air infiltration to supply air for combustion in fireplaces, so the fireplaces have had to have air “piped in” to allow for proper burning.

Why is there a trapdoor in my fireplace?

What Is It Used For? An ash pit is a hole in your firebox in which old ashes can be placed. Its convenient location allows you to sweep in any ashes and embers, then seal them in by closing a small door. Ash pits are designed to withstand the heat from your fireplace while being easily accessible for the homeowner.

What is the back of a fireplace called?

Back (fireback)—The inside, rear wall of the fireplace of masonry or metal that reflects heat into the room.

What is the thing called that holds logs in a fireplace?

An andiron or firedog, fire-dog or fire dog is a bracket support, normally found in pairs, on which logs are laid for burning in an open fireplace, so that air may circulate under the firewood, allowing better burning and less smoke.

What is a fireplace lintel?

The lintel is a horizontal beam placed across the fireplace opening to support the chimney. Sometimes you might see an arch in place of the lintel, which does the same job. Lintels are more common than arches because they are easy to construct and install.